Elevators, lifts, and other similar suspended platforms, are commonly used to provide vertical transportation in buildings, towers, bridges, and other tall structures. Typical elevators, lifts, and other similar suspended platforms include baskets, cages, carts, platforms, and other such loading vessels capable of transporting people and objects. Conventional elevators, lifts, and other similar suspended platforms also include a hoist mechanism having a motor connected to a system of suspension cables and pulleys for raising and lowering the loading vessel.
Various types of braking systems are also typically used to protect passengers and cargo from free-falling and crashing to the ground in certain circumstances, such as if a cable breaks or if the motor fails. For instance, a power failure may cause the brake to engage in order to prevent the elevator from falling. However, passengers and cargo can become trapped in the elevator while the elevator remains stuck in the braked position for an extended period of time until either power is restored or emergency responders come to the rescue. Thus, there is a need to provide a manual braking system that allows for an emergency controlled descent of the elevator in order to reach the ground safely when there is a loss of power. Further, there also exists a need to provide a mechanical brake interrupter in order to minimize or prevent impact with a person or other obstruction underneath the elevator during such an emergency controlled descent.